Myths about work and education

Commonly held beliefs can be incorrect, yet they affect how well parents advise
their children. Review this list for any that you might hold as true.

There is only one right job or career.
On the contrary. Careers are personal
expressions of who we are within the context of the opportunities that exist
in our communities. These opportunities,
or the world of work, are vast and changing all the time. Many different
jobs, occupational areas, and life roles use the skills and talents that
your children possess. Career development activities help your children take
advantage of these opportunities by teaching them how to plan and manage
their careers over their lifetime.

The goal of career education is to track my child down a path toward a particular
occupation.
Absolutely not. The goal of the career development work your child
does in school is to learn the skills for a lifetime of career self-management.
These
skills include:

Understanding who you are, identifying your skills, talents,
values, and passions as you grow and change.

Understanding the world of work
and the requirements of career paths that you are interested in or want
to pursue.

Making the most of educational opportunities while in school and after
you are working.

Being prepared for the jobs that match your goals and dreams,
and being able
to get and keep the jobs you get.

My children should know what they want to be by the time they graduate from
high school.
Not so. In fact, young people should not even be trying to answer
the question, "What
do I want to be?" If you are trying to "be" something, you
may not be open to new opportunities. If you are trying to "be" something,
you may feel like a failure when it doesn't fit. It is actually very
uncommon for 18 year olds to know what they want to be. It is best that they:

understand
themselves,

are open to learning more as they have new experiences, AND

understand how
to develop skills, abilities, and knowledge to pursue their dreams.

Everyone should go to college.
Definitely not. Everyone should understand that
learning is lifelong and that all work requires training. But there are many
ways to get training - on-the-job,
through formal apprenticeships, in the military, and at career schools -
in addition to two- and four-year colleges.

There are some jobs that are better suited for men and others for women.
In
the past, many believed that men were better at some things and women better
at others. This led to women holding lower status jobs and receiving lower
pay. Talents, interests, and skills affect how well we do in our work, not
our gender. Discouraging young people, girls and boys, from pursuing careers
because they are typically seen as work done by the opposite sex can undermine
their potential and drive to achieve it.

Since I didn't go to college, my children shouldn't need
to either.
The
world of work is changing and our children need more skills than we did. Lifelong
learning, in all types of postsecondary training, is essential.
Children need to decide what they want to pursue - in terms of a broad
interest area or a specific occupational goal - and then figure out what
kind of education and training past high school is important to achieve that
goal.

If my children go to college and study hard, they will be able to find a job
in their chosen professions.
Not necessarily. Getting a job in your chosen field
can depend on many factors - how
the overall economy is doing, whether the industry is growing, where you live,
what personal constraints you may have at the time. It also depends upon how
you look for a job and what you are willing to sacrifice to get it.

College is too expensive.
Despite rising costs of college, not all colleges
are that expensive. Also, there are many sources of assistance for students
who need help. If your
child has a goal and is willing to work hard, and if you are willing to support
his or her dream, college is possible!

Career guidance is best left to the experts.
One writer compares the career
decision making skills to language skills. Although they can be taught in school,
they flow more easily in a home environment.
Be a partner with the guidance program at your child's school by being
proactive and involved.

My own feelings about my work and life don't make a difference.
You are
your child's most important teacher. When you share stories about
work, you are modeling work attitudes and behaviors. You are interpreting the
realities of the world of work through your eyes. By being positive and open,
your child will learn important lessons about how to be prepared for the future.